Cotton chopper



June 2, 192,5i

1,540,561 E. NITZSCHE COTTON CHOPPER Filed June 9, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet li June 2, 1925.-

E. N ITZSCH E COTTON cHoPPER IFiled June 9, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 b voJun 2, 1925.

Ev. NlTzscHE COTTON CHOPPER Filed June 9'. 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 2,19,25.

E. Nrrzsclil'E COTTON CHOPPER Filed June 9. 192s sheets-sheet 4 6- v 45f3 f6 6'@ .9,9

nwntoz June 2., 1925. 1,540,561

E. YNITZSCHE COTTON CHOPPER Filed June 9, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet .5

Patentedlune 2, 1925. 1

ATENT "Fries,

EWALD NrrzsoHn, orBURroiv, Texas, i

COTTON C'HOPPER. e

Application filed June e, 192s. sei-iai No. camco.

To @ZZ 107mm t may concern:

Be it known that I, EwALD Nrrzsorrn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Burton, iu the county of lVashington and State of Texas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton Choppers;and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact'description of the invention, such as will enable others make and usethe same.

This invention relates to a cotton chopper or machine for thinningcotton or other plants in lieu of manual operation by a hoe.

lt is aimed to provide animplement of this character of generallyimprovedconstruction, which is eliicient in operation, durable, andcapable of manufacturel and marketing at minimum expense. Y

Among the general objects, may be mentioned the provision of a chopping`means 'which is adjustable laterally of a supporting frame to adaptitself. to the rows of cotton plants; to provide achopper that islaterally reciprocable, preferably removable and adjustable and mounted'p by novel means; to provide means whereby the chopping means isvertically adjustable in para lelism with the ground and which mayparticularly utilize allever Vmeans and a cam means; to provide aconstruction in which the chopping means may bey readily thrown into orout of gear, and to provide a novel foot control or means to varythelateral position of the chopping means with respect to the frame.

Additional objects and advantages will be pointed out and becomeapparent from a consideration of the description following taken inconnection with accompanying drawings illustrating oneoperativeembodiaient.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure V1; i2

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

.Figure t is a cross sectional'view taken on the line elf/st of Figure3;

Figure 5 's a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure a; y

Figure 6 is acrosssectional view on the lino G--G of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is aV plan view of the clutch platey bracket for the operatingmechanism of the stopper; *f

y Figure 8 is a rearelevation of the part of Figure 7 and adjacent partsof the machine, and v" -1Yv Figure 9 is afragmentary elevationillustrating theratchet connection between one of the ground wheels'andthe main shaft. skilled in the art to which it appertains to Liliereference characters designate like or similar partsin the differentviews.

)referring specifically to the drawings, a mainframe is employed at A,lbeing for instance substantially rectangular andhaving a drafttongu-ellextending forwardly therefrom. The machine may be drawn by Vanimal poweror by a tractor as preferred,

suitably hitched to'the tongue 11. Frame A essentially consists ofsuitable metallic beams Orba-rs 1211s shown which may have f parallelside lportions 13'provide'd with depending hangers or bearings 111,in'which a main shaft or axle 15 isy journaled. Ground wheels 16 are'positioned on the shaft 15 and preterablyy have ratchet conneet-iontherewith as at 17 to theV end that when the machine travels forwardly,movement of wheel 16 will rotate said shaft 15, but should the vwheelsmove backwardly, they would rotate on the Vshaft 15 rand thus moveyindependently of ,itso as notto disturb the chopping mechanism which4will be hereinafter specifically referred to.

A chopper is shown generally at -B and is carried by a frame generallydesignated C.

Chopper frame C `may have spaced side plates 18 in which a shaft 19 isjournaled.

A. positioningV and supporting frame D is provided for the chopper B andits frame C. Frame D may be generally rectangular as shown consisting ofa metallic bar provided with sides QO, a connecting bridge-21 integraltherewith and a rod 22 connecting the'distajl ends of thesides 2O.VIntermediate bridge 21 and rodv 22, sidesQ()` have the main shaft 15journaled therein."` Sha-ft 19 is also journaled in the sides 2Ointermediate the main shaft-and rod 22..

Side plates 18 maybe of any suitable shape but are preferably curveddownwardly at their forward ends which are connected by a rod 23.Rigidly fastened by bolts 24E to said forward ends of plates4 18 areupstandiug bars25 provided with rear- Wardly extending camsy 26. Adaptedto bear against thecams 26 isa transverse rod 27 which is j ournaled inbearings or hangers 28 Vdepending from the side portions 13. Crank arms29 rise from the rod 27 rigidly and are pivotally and adjustablyconne-cted by means of bolts 30 and openings or apertures 31, to links32 whichare adjustably and pivotally fastened to the sides 2O as bybolts 33 passing through the links and selected openings or apertures ofseries 34. `An operating lever 35 is rigidly connected with rod 27 andmay be maintained in its different adjusted positions by a conventionalplunger 36 thereon coacting with a locking plate or sector 37 carried byoneof the side .portions 13. Through theadjustment of lever 35, thepositioning and operating frame D will be swung on the main shaft oraxle 15.and the rod 2 7 moved along the cam 26, thereby varying theelevation of the chopper B and its vframe C, and at the same timemaintaining such choppern mechanism B inV parallelism with the ground.

At the rear of chopper frame C, theside plates 18 are joined by a crossbar 38. Bolted or otherwise fastened at 39 tolcross bar 38 are dependinguprights 4() which extend from longitudinal runners 41 having .portions42 parallel with the ground and upwardly lextending portions 43 securedby fears 44 to the forward ends of lside plates .18 and the lower endsof bars 25 as by means of.the bolts 24'which also secure the U- shapedclamps 46 at that point in order to make the connection rigid. K Runners41 'are adapted to travel on or relatively close to the ground and ontheir upper surface support a fender plate 47 which prevents theentranceof undue soil and trashinto the machine from belowj. Plate 47'atits forward end upwardly inclines in accordance with the inclinationcofportions 43 and suchV plate is fastened -to the runners in any suitablemanner as byv bolts 48. Uprights 49 depend from the sideV plates 18 andare secured to the plates 47 and runners 41 by certain ofthe bolts 48.Bolts 50 pass through the plate 47 and the portions 43.

The chopper mechanism B has a mounting bracket 51 including a relativelylarge plate 52 disposed on the plate 47 vand fastened in place bycertain of the bolts 48. At one side, ran upright 53 integral with theyplate 52 rises while at the zother side an upstanding wall 54, alsointegral with the plate, is provided.

A Vchopper blade 55 1s sharpened at its Vlower er cuttine` edO'e as at56. This blade 55 is inclined upwardly and rearwardly from its cuttingedge and is slidably disposed in grooves 57 of track members 58.Trackvinembers 58 are connected at their forward ends by a guide andscraper eleof extend beyond the track members and are adjustably anddetachably fastened'by bolts 62 passing ltherethrough and selectivelythrough openings of a. series 63 providedk through a wall 54.` The upperor non-cutting end of blade 55 has a back 64 detachably secured theretoas by bolts 65 so that the same may be removed to permit removal of theblades from the track members 58 at the rear thereof for sharpening orotherwise.

Fastened against the upper surface of the blade 55 is a bracket 6 6having ears 67 to which contractile coil springs G8 `are detachablyfastened at one end. At the other end, said springs 68 are detachablyhooked or fastened to hooks 69 carried by the attaching bar G1. 4A levery7Ois pivoted, at 71 by means of a detachablebolt 71n to bracket 66 andis pivotally and adjustably connected toa link l72 a'removable bolt 73passing yseflectiiv'ely through openings or apertures 74 in said link72Y and leverr 70. Link- 72 is pivoted at 75 to a lug 76 on one of theside plates 18. y ,The upper end of lever is free and is periodicallyengaged byfa trip 77 in order to rapidly reciprocate the chopper blade55 into and out of engagement with adjacent cotton or otherplants tothereby sever them and thin them. VTrip 77 is carried by a shaft 78. n'

Shaft 78 is slidably mounted and journaled in the cross bar 38 and in abracket 79 depending inwardly from and fastening to one vof the slideplates 18.. A bevel gear wheel 8O isl keyedxto shaft 78 and adapted .tomesh with a bevel gear wheel 81 disposed on a square portion 82 vof theshaft 19 and which shaft 19 has said gear wheel 81 and the side plates18 llaterally slidable thereon. Also a gear wheel 83 is keyed to theshaft 19 in constant Amesh with a larger gear wheel 84 keyed to the mainshaft or axle 15. In this manner, movement of the main shaft or axlethroughy travel of the ground wheels .results in reciprocation of thechopper blade Horizontal plates 85, in vertically spaced relation,extend outwardly from the uprights 49 and have diagonal slots 86therethrough. Said slots are crossed with respect to each other and havetheir centers vertically coincident. An operating lever .87 is journaledon a reduced portion 88 of shaft 78, being held against longitudinaldisplacement as bya washer and cotter 89 at one side and ay shoulder 90at-the other side. This leverv 87 is disposed in the slots 86 `and as itis swung. on shaft'78 as a fulcrum, it imparts longitudinal movement tosaid shaft which accordingly moves the gear wheel 8O into and out ofmesh with the gear wheel 81 to thereby throw the chopper blade 55 intoand out of operation at will. Lever 87 may be locked in its differentpositions by a plunger 91 thereon coacting with a locking' plate orsector 92 on one of the plates ST.

The drivers or operator-s seat is provided at 93, on the rear of theframe A. Lever S7 is located relatively close to the seat so that theoperator may readily manipulate it while seated. Pivoted on horizontalpivots such as bolts 911 fastened to depending lugs 95 on the sideportions 13, are shifting levers 96 for the chopper frame C. Levers 96have dependents 97`which are disposed in longitudinally elongated slots98 of guide brackets 99 bolted as at 100 to the side portions 18.Several of the bolts 10() secure the uprights 419 and to the main frameA. rlhe upper end of levers 96 terminate in pedals 101 adapted to' beengaged by the foot of the operator in order to be tilted from theirfulcrums and accordingly slide the chopper frame C along the shaft 19 inorder to properly position the chopper blade with respect to the plants.

The different uprights above the blade may have a shield or fenderplate, Vnot shown, fastened thereto with a view to excluding trash anddirt from the chopper mechanism B.

In operation, the machine is drawn by a preferred draft power with themechanism ID and frame C located between the rows of cotton or plants tobe thinned. The operator seated at 93 may thereupon place his feet inengagement with the pedals 101 and appropriately shift the levers 96 soas to slide the frame C transversely of the frame A and along the shaft19 until it is in the desired position. The operation of the wheels 1Grotates the main shaft or axle 15 which through the medium of the gearwheels S4 and S3 drives the shaft 19 and bevel gear wheel 81. lith thegear wheel S0 in mesh with gear wheel S1, shaft 78 is rotated whichaccordingly rotates the trip 7T moving it alternately into and out ofengagement with the distal end of the lever T()Y thereby reciprocatingthat lever and causing it to correspondingly reciprocate the chopperblade 55 so that it appropriately cuts or thins the cotton in its pathof movement, to the desired extent. The lever 87 is operable at willfrom the drivers seat in order to slide the shaft 78 so as to throw thegear 8O into or out of mesh with the gear 81. also the chopper blade maybe removed at times for sharpening or other purposes by detaching theattaching bar 61, the back 5G, the springs G8 and thepivot bolts 71.Also, the lever is readily operable at all times in order to swing theframe and engage rod 22 with cams 26, thus varying the elevation offrame C and Achopper mechanism I) in parallelism to the ground.

Various changes may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of theinvention.

I claim as my invention :M

1.In a machine of the class described, a chopper frame, chopper meanscarried thereby,a positioning frame to which said chopper frame ispivoted, and cam means associated withone of said frames to coact withthe other of said frames to permit adjustment of the chopper frame andchopper means' inV substantial parallelism to the ground.

2. In a machine of the class described, a main f `ame, an axleassociated therewith, a positioning frame adapted to fulcrum on saidaxle, means operable 'to-shift the positioning frame, a chopper-framefulcrumed on said positioning frame, cam means on one of said frames tocoact with the first mentioned means; whereby the chopper frame may bemoved inv substantial parallelism with the ground, and a chopper meanscarried by said chopper frame.

3. In a machine of the class described, a chopper frame, chopper meanscarried by said frame, a positioning frame to-which the chopper frame ispivoted, and cammeans to coact through movement of the positioning frameto maintain the chopper frame in substantial parallelism with theground.

4t. In a machine of the class described, a main frame, a rod journaledthereon, a positioning frame operable through movement of said rod, achopper frame pivotally connected to the positioning frame, choppermeans carried by the chopper frame, and a cam carried by the chopperframe in eoacting relation t-o said rod to maintain the chopper frame inparallelism withl the ground.

5. In a machine of the class described, a main frame, ground wheels, anaxle therefor associated with the main frame, a positioning framepivoted on said axle, a rod rotatable on said main frame, a crank andlink connection between said rod and positioning frame, a lever tooperate said rod, a shaft `iournaled on said positioning frame, achopper frame through which said shaft passes, chopper means carried bythe chopper frame, a cam carried by the chopper frame in coactingrelation to said rod, whereby adjustment of the chopper frame will be insubstantial parallelism with the ground.

G. In a machine ofthe c ass described, a main frame, ground wheels, anaxle therefor associated withthe main frame, a posit-ioning framepivoted on said axle, a rod rotatable on said main frame, a crank andlink connection between said rod and position-- iso ing frame, alever tooperatel said rod, a shaft` journaled on said positioning frame7 achopper. frame through which saidY shaft passes, chopper means carriedby thesaid axle being-in driving relation with the ground wheels, adriving connection between said aXle and said shaft, and a drivingconnection for the chopper means between the same and said shaft. Y

'i'. ln a machine of the class described, a chopper frame, a main frame,and means on the main frame operatively connectedlto the chopper frameto bodilyl move the same laterally with respect to the main frame,consisting of levers pivoted on` the main frame and clip connectionsbetween said-levers and the chopper frame to vary the'position ofoperation ofthe chopper frame.

8. In a machine'of the class described, a chopper frame, a-main frame,means on the `main franie-operatively connected to the chopper frame tomove the same laterally `vvith respect to the main frame, consisting of.levers pivoted on themain frame and clip connections betiveensaidlevers and the chopper frame, dependents on the levers and brackets onthe chopper frame engaged by the dependents, and pedals for said levers.

9. A machine of the class described, a chopper member, a lever pivotedto the chopper member, a link connection to position the lever, and tripmeans coactingrivith the lever.

10. Avmaehine ofthe classdescribed havinga chopper member, a spring tonrge retraction of said member, a lever ,rising from said member, tripmeans coacting Withthc distal ends of said lever to periodically pro-`ject the. chopper member, and a link connection to position said leverengaging the lever below the tripmeans.

11; In amachine of the class described, a chopper member, abracket-rising from said chopper member, a return spring connected tosaid bracket, a lever pivoted to and rising from said bracket,` apositioi'iing mea-ns engaging said lever at a distance below its npperend, and a trip means to periodically engage the upper end of saidlever.

12. In a machine of the class described, abracket having an upstanding`Wall and a substantially horizontal portion, track means resting on saidportion adjacent one end thereof, means detachably securing the trackmeans adjacent the` other end thereof i to said wall and elevated WithrespectV to the front end, a chopper member slidable on the track means,and means to actuate the slidable member.V

13; In a machine of the class described, a bracket having an upstanding-Wall and a substantially horizontal portion, ,trackmeans resting onsaidv portionadjacentA one end,

thereof, meansdetachably securing the track means adjacent the other endthereof'to said: Wall andelevated with respect to the frontv end,achopper member slidable on the track means, means-to actuate theslidablenien'iber, a frame carrying said bracket, and anr a shaft onwhich .saidside `plates areslid-k able, a bracket on one of said side.plates.l and a levercoacting Withsaid-bracket to slide the chopperframe, andvchopper means carried by said chopper frame.

15.. A machine of the class described having a chopperv frame, choppermeans carried b v said frame,a shaft onsaid frame, mea-ns to operate thechopper.y means from said-shaftsa gea-r wheel on said shaft, apositioning frame, a second shaft, said second shaft pivotally.connecting-the chopper frame to the positioningframe, a gear wheel onthe second shaft to mesh-With the first mentioned gear Wheel, a'-driving shaft on which the positioning frame is pivoted, and means todrive the second shaft fromthe driving shaft.

16. A. machine of theclass-described having a chopper frame, chopper.means car.- ried by said frame,a shaft on said frame, means to operatethe chopper means from saidshaft,.a gear Wheel on saidv shaft, apositioning frame, a-.second shaft, said second shaft pivotallyconnecting the .chopper frame to the :positioning` frame, a gear wheelon .the second shaft to mesh with the first mentioned gearwheel, meansto drive the second shaft from thed-rivingshaft, means to throvvl the.chopping .means ontof gear.

17. A machine of the class described having'a chopper frame, choppermeans carried by said f ame,- av shaft on said frame, means to operatethe chopper means from said shaft, aV gear Wheel-onsaid shaft, apositioning frame, a .second shaft, .said second shaft pivotallyconnecting the chopper frame to thel positioning frame, a gear Wheel onthe second shaftzto mesh With the first mentioned `gear Wheel, means todrive the second shaft from thedriving shaft, the second shaft havingvasquarev portion, the second gear wheel havingA a: square opening`receiving said square portion slidablv, and the chopper frame beinglaterally slidable on the secondshaft.

18. A machine-.of the class described hav-- inga chopper frame, choppermeans earried by said frame,a shaft on said frame. mea-ns to operate thechopper means from said shafta gear :Wheel on said shaft. aV positioningframe, a second shaft, said second shaft pivotallyr connecting thechopper on the secondfshaft t0 mesh with the firstmentoned gear Wheel,means to drive the second shaft from the driving shaft, and meansoperable to slide the first mentioned shaft to throw the choppermechanism out of gear.

In testimony whereof I affix my Signa-tmf@ in presence of two Witnesses.

EWALD NITZSCHE.

it'nesses HERBERT NIENSTEELT, WM. NIENSTEELT.

